It seems there is a popular game of comparing the American Presidents to Hitler. Maybe we are just far enough along to do a head to head comparison with Barack H. Obama and the previous champion, George W. Bush. But remember, it is a little unfair to Obama, as he had only 7 months of emulating Hitler, against 8 years for Bush.- Hitler had a healthy vegetarian diet. Obama is closer with an organic garden on the White House lawn, but then spoils it going out to Hellburgers. Bush likes pretzels, but chokes on them. Declared even at 0 points each.
- Hitler sets up euthanasia clinics for grandmas and mentally handicapped. Obama favours abortion and Death Panels for Grandmas. Bush opposes all clinical death, including abortion. I have to give this one to Obama, but only one point as he has not yet passed any laws requiring Grandmas to be put to death, and the abortion laws are basically unchanged since Bush. Obama 1 Bush 0 (subject to revision once the gas chambers for Gandmas are set up)
- Hitler builds the autobahn and commissions the design of the Volkswagen (the car for the people). Obama decides to repair the Interstate Highways System with stimulus money, takes over General Motors, and fires the CEO. Bush merely drives around his ranch in a golf cart. 5 for Obama, 0 for Bush.
- Hitler invaded Poland, after giving assurances to the international community that he would stop after Czechoslovakia and Austria. Bush invaded Afghanistan and Iraq. Obama does not invade anybody, although he has not yet pulled out of anywhere, and has sent reinforcements to Afghanistan. 0 for Obama 5 for Bush
- Hitler was right wing. I had at least two blogs about this, I know many on the right wing in the US are uncomfortable with this seating arrangement, but it is generally accepted; even by Conservapedia (look it up). So this stands as a big win for Bush. Bush 5 Obama 0.
- Hitler encouraged the SS and Gestapo to torture people to find out information on the resistance and the enemy movements. Bush set up Abu Ghraib, Bagram Air base, Guantanamo Camp, and secret foreign torture sites to elicit valuable information from captives. Obama is trying to shut down Guantanamo and all the torture sites, and has made torture illegal. Obama 0, Bush 5. This win was well deserved, I think.
- Hitler gassed 6 million Jews. Neither Bush nor Obama have gassed any yet, to my knowledge. Although it is rumoured that Obama second hand smoked Rahm Emmanuel once out the back of the White House sneaking a drag on a cigarette. But really, I can't in all fairness to George, award a point for that, so 0-0 here.
- Hitler's Gestapo spied on the German people to discover traitors, Jews and Jew supporters. Bush began a secret wiretap operation on Americans. I think Obama is continuing it. so Obama 0, Bush 2 (for originality)
- Hitler's assault on liberty started with outlawing all opposition parties and jailing their leaders. So far Obama has resisted throwing Bush and Cheney in jail, so he gets nothing here. Neither does Bush for allowing Clinton and (especially) Al Gore to roam free. 0-0.
Final total: Obama 6, Bush 17
George will continue to possess the Little Black Moustache trophy for another six months, when I will review Obama's accomplishments again. After that, it will be annual reviews to the end of the first term.
Well I don't like to get into politics much but this post was really clever, great stuff. I think Dick Cheney should get an award for VP who most resembles Dr. Evil. Thanks for the thoughts and smile.
ReplyDeleteWell, personally, I feel that all this incessant comparison to Hitler is grossly unfair to other important historical figures (although admittedly there was a flurry of Obama-FDR comparisons, even from such unquestionable authorities as The Economist).
ReplyDeleteFor example, regardless of Messamore's overexerted effort (in the article you link) to realign Hitler's fascist regime on the left through semantics (haven't we been through that discussion before?!) the fact remains that the Nazi regime was extreme right-wing.
So, is the extreme left-wing not as deserving as the extreme right? Why, for example, does Stalin get such short shrift ('obama vs hilter' 7,500,000 hits; 'obama vs stalin' only 1,600,000 hits)? Certainly smacks of 'imbalance' to me.
We need more balance and fairness in this kind of analysis!